Harris Improves Efficiencies at Maine Public TV

BANGOR, MAINE— Maine Public Broadcasting
Network (MPBN), reaches every corner
of the state as well as viewers in New Hampshire,
Massachusetts and Canada. Like most
public broadcasters, we’re faced with increasing
production demands and reduced
resources.

To meet these challenges, we recently
implemented a master control upgrade and
file-based workflow, with the Harris ADC
automated playout system positioned at the
core of the operation.

Our staff is responsible for a great deal, including
monitoring of five TV stations, ingest
and recording, automation processes, and
interconnection to three studio sites. The recent
technical upgrade helped to streamline
daily processes, particularly as we consider
additional channel launches.

REDUCED HUMAN INTERVENTION
Central to the project was the implementation
of the BXF-compliant Harris Live-Update
software, which provides direct integration
of the ADC to our traffic and scheduling
software. Harris Live-Update software facilitates
a seamless exchange of information between
the two systems, and eliminates the
need for many manual processes.

Operations and programming is tightly
integrated here, with our staff working
closely together. On a typical day, our operations
staff takes the daily log and performs a
download into ADC. The traffic and scheduling
system selects the day and instructs the
system to download; ADC then automatically
fills out the day’s log.

After downloading logs, operators then
download a list of interstitials for server ingest.
The show data is pre-filled as it comes
through the BXF interface. The operators
then verify content
and mark the “in”
and “out” times. BXFdriven
notifications
informs programming
personnel once
the content has been
prepped for air. The
content then reflects
what has been completed
in master control
within the traffic
and scheduling system—
thus establishing
a continuous, automatic,
two-way flow
of information.

Data entry has been reduced to a onetime
process, with staff no longer required
to visit or phone our operations area for a
status report. Programming personnel get
an immediate snapshot of what is and isn’t
available, and whether or not record list material
arrived.

ADC also issues an as-run log into the traffic
and scheduling system that can be reconciled
against program logs.

MANY ADVANTAGES
Harris ADC automation and its BXF-compliant
design have enhanced operations in
several ways. Electronic communication
between automation and traffic has greatly
reduced manual exchange errors, such as
transposed numbers. The Live-Update module
has allowed our master control personnel
to better manage their duties, as they no
longer need to manage the entire workflow.
Also, information now flows bidirectionally
and seamlessly with the Live-Update BXFbased
interface between ADC and traffic,
allowing the programming department to
know if shows have been recorded, when
they are prepped and when they become
available. Routine purges of content from
traffic are now possible, and reconciliations
can be performed efficiently with the availability
of real-time as-run logs are available.
No more time is wasted on manually filling
out information.

Ultimately, everyone in the chain from
traffic to operations to billing now knows
the status of every event immediately. This
upgrade and transition lets us deliver a better
on-air product, while saving us time and
money.

Gil Maxwell is vice president of engineering
and chief technology officer at the
Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He
may be contacted at gmaxwell@mpbn.net.